Letters to the editor

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Nov 30, 2007

Take time to check

Retailers should be encouraged to demand identification on all checks and credit cards throughout this massive shopping period and beyond.

It would benefit not only the victims of forgery but also financial institutions and perhaps liability providers. The practice of checking indentification is practically nonexistent.

You can bet the cost for this type of theft coverage is passed on to consumers. Why should honest consumers be the victims of poor business practices?

Don't complain or be insulted, be happy when a clerk demands your ID even if you are best friends. Thank the clerk for taking the time.

RICHARD HECKLER,Lawrence

Unnecessary tie-ups

On Nov. 17, I was one of thousands of people traveling down Interstate 70 to see Mizzou beat up another opponent in Manhattan. We were going 75 mph and all of a sudden traffic came to a complete stop. An accident, we thought.

After 30 minutes of stop-and-go traffic, we came upon the "accident." It was a toll booth. We waited our turn impatiently (as did hundreds of other cars) until we got up to the booth - where we were stunned to see a very nice, elderly woman passing out toll tickets. She was taking time to say hello to each driver who came through and having a conversation with each.

While this would be nice at midnight on a Tuesday, it was ridiculous on a Saturday football afternoon. Each of the booths was staffed with the same type of little old lady having the same charming, time-wasting conversations.

On we went, and we were quickly back up to speed - for about 10 minutes. Then we were back in another miles-long traffic tie-up. It was another toll booth - and the experience here was even more perplexing. After another 20-minute wait, we got up to the booth to find a man making change very slowly for the toll. The toll was $2.15 - a very odd amount that further increased the amount of time getting through the gate.

We just shook our heads at the many things that could and should have been done to make it faster and more efficient: 1) Paying anyone to make conversation and create miles-long traffic backups isn't a good use of funds. 2) Post the toll amount on a sign that's easy to read before people get to the booth. 3) Replace the toll- taker with a machine.

I'm not trying to increase the unemployment rate in Kansas, I'm simply trying to urge that its dollars be used more efficiently - a side effect being motorists could get to Manhattan earlier to enjoy its sights and surroundings (and maybe spend a few more bucks there).

MIKE LENZEN,Eureka, Mo.

Big bill for Statehouse

I am writing in response to the Nov. 11 Daily Dose article on Statehouse restoration.

A lot of things in Kansas need some attention that our tax money could go to, like maintaining our highways and streets and getting new equipment for our police departments.

Now, I haven't been in the Statehouse before the restoration started, but I have been there recently. I must say that the work that has been done looks really nice so far. When I was given my tour, I couldn't help but wonder how much this restoration was costing. Then I read the article in the Sunday paper, which stated that the original cost of this restoration was supposed to be between $90 and $120 million. Now the estimate is up to $172.5 million, and that's not including the whole restoration.

Is it possible we are spending too much money on this project? What is being done to restore buildings at state universities?

My parents taught me to use my money wisely and not to spend it on things I didn't need. Did we really need to add a new underground parking garage to the Statehouse? If so, why wasn't it done a long time ago if parking was such a problem?

Don't get me wrong - I am for the restoration of the Statehouse, because it is an important memorial in our state, and it is long overdue. But why haven't we been making improvements to it through the years? That way we wouldn't be spending so much money on it now, we could also spend it on a number of other things that right now are more important.

NATHAN GREENWOOD,Hutchinson

Support rail travel

In his Nov. 24 letter, Paul Post expressed the same feeling that I have, that Amtrak, airlines and trucks on our nation's highways should all be given the same perks.

There is nothing fair about the government doling out millions of dollars to the airlines and highways when, if given the same amount of money, Amtrak would probably be able to increase the number of routes it now services.

It would be so much simpler to take Amtrak than to take the shuttle to KCI or have to pay to park your car there for the duration of your trip. The schedule Amtrak has through Topeka isn't all that convenient, but neither is getting up at dawn to go KCI and wait for hours until it is time to board your plane.

A group of retired Santa Fe and Burlington Northern employees have formed the Northern Alliance to work toward providing an Amtrak route from Newton and Wichita and beyond.

The Nov. 19 editorial asks, "Is it worth it?" Is it worth it having to repair the highways that are being pounded by big heavy trucks? And yes, I do know that trucks pay gas tax to help the highways.